06/11/2026
Today was one of those absolutely wild Midwest weather days.
The forecast called for 90° heat, humidity thick enough to swim through, tornado warnings, and sirens going off across the area. The original plan was simple: leave everyone inside under the fans and wait it out.
But after watching the weather app all morning, things looked calm enough, so I figured a few hours of turnout and some fresh air would do everyone good. Out went ALL the horses to enjoy the breeze (and Heidi got her very first romp in the big field... but that's a story for another post 😁).
A couple of hours later, Mother Nature reminded me who's actually in charge.
The power went out. The weather app clearly lied. A fast-moving storm rolled through, dumping nearly 3 inches of rain in about 45 minutes. Thankfully we escaped the worst of it, but some nearby areas were hit much harder. More storms are still on the way, and as I write this, half the town is still without power and it doesn't look like anything will be restored today. The barn is always extra exciting in pitch dark.
So, Not to be outdone, I somehow managed to kill my truck battery while charging my phone. Then my awesome neighbor called to let me know that while we were busy hooking up the generator, one of our dogs had apparently decided to pay them a social visit.
Just another day in paradise. 😂
On a completely different note, I was talking to Noni's breeder yesterday. Hard to believe I've had him for almost 20 years now, ever since he was a yearling. His breeder still remembers him fondly as the horse who loved jumping into water troughs and getting sprayed with water.
Noni is my partner in every sense of the word. He's the horse that knows me better than any other, both in and out of the saddle. The only one I can still comfortably ride ba****ck. The only one who responds to the slightest cue. No matter how much time passes, we pick up exactly where we left off.
He's done it all and loved every minute of it—shows, trails, expos, parades, jumping—and never hesitated to step into the arena and hold his own against some very impressive Warmbloods. And even now, he still keeps me humble whenever a dirt bike appears that he decides is absolutely not worth befriending. 😂
And here's a small-world discovery I stumbled upon just recently. While digging through the PZHK Polish breeder database. I found one of Noni's paternal siblings on the other side of the globe. Both horses are by the Friesian stallion Novi, and his sibling lives in Poland under the name "Novis Nitro."
Somehow its a small world after all
